Marine plastics

What happens to plastic in the sea?

Plastics have brought huge benefits to our society. But with those benefits come environmental problems. Too often plastic ends up as waste, as marine litter polluting the oceans, or as litter on our beaches. This infographic highlights the estimated amount of different plastic sources found in the sea, where these plastics are found and the consequences of this for the natural environment.

The scale of plastic pollution in our oceans is alarming. With less than two per cent of plastics addressed by actions so far, more action is clearly needed. This infographic offers five actions to stop nearly two thirds of plastic waste getting into the sea in the first place.